Most manufacturing companies have research and development departments where new products are researched, designed and developed. But some companies are nothing but research and development departments that specialize in researching ways to make new products, designing new products, and developing new products. Different design and development firms specialize in researching, developing and designing different kinds of products. Some development and design firms may specialize in developing and designing new materials while other design and development firms may specialize in creating new drugs, new machines or new food products. Some design and development firms mostly contract with manufacturing companies that hire them to develop and design new products. Other design and development firms are independent and develop new products on their own and later sell their ideas to manufacturing companies.